Atlanta Orchestra Summer Concert Series Features Menzel

In honor of the 35th Anniversary Delta Classic Chastain summer concert series, the GRAMMY® Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra announced today that it will offer a limited number of $35 concert tickets to the public for premium seating (when available) at the legendary Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta, Ga. For just $35, concertgoers can celebrate 35 years of dining al fresco and watching all star musical performances at the Delta Classic Chastain series. The Delta Classic Chastain season opens on Saturday, June 14, 2008, and features 27 shows throughout the summer on most Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings through Saturday, September 13, 2008.

2008 Delta Classic Chastain series performers include Melissa Etheridge, Soul Asylum, The Temptations and The Four Tops, Gipsy Kings, Hootie & the Blowfish and many more (see full lineup below). The latest performer additions to the 35th anniversary lineup are country music superstar Trace Adkins, Tony Award-winning actress, singer and songwriter Idina Menzel, and the "Kickin' Pickin' Bluegrass Party" featuring Marty Stuart and the Del McCoury Band.

An established force in contemporary country, Trace Adkin's instantly recognizable baritone has been cutting through the airwaves and energizing concert hall speakers for well over a decade. Now, with the release of American Man, Greatest Hits Volume II, Adkins collects the songs that have turned him from rising star to superstar. Adkins will take the stage at Delta's Classic Chastain series Friday, July 11.

Tony Award winning American actress/singer/songwriter Idina Menzel will join the eclectic lineup at Delta Classic Chastain series on Friday, July 18. Reaching superstardom on Broadway in two career-defining rolesher Tony Award winning performance in the musicAl Blockbuster "Wicked" and in the revolutionary "Rent"  Menzel recently turned out her own album on Warner Bros. Records. Touring in support of her debut album, I Stand, Menzel will show off of her powerful voice and magnetic charisma at the Delta Classic Chastain concert series as she presents her moving collection of pop tunes and ballads.

Get ready for a finger pickin' good time on Wednesday, August 9 when country and bluegrass legends Marty Stuart and the Del McCoury Band, and Doyle Lawson hit Delta's Classic Chastain series. Expect a spirited night filled with impeccable vocals, flawless harmonies, and nonstop singing and dancing that will appeal to all generations and genres of music lovers.

A limited number of first-come-first-serve $35 anniversary tickets and general admission single tickets went on sale Monday, May 12, 2008. Subscription packages for the 35th Anniversary of the Delta Classic Chastain concert series are on sale now, which includes the Wednesday Series (8 concerts), Friday Series (7 concerts), Saturday Series (8 concerts), the Tanner Series (3 concerts/no tables, coolers or carry-ins), and Take 5 (choose 5 concerts in the Terrace or Lawn). The three-show "Tanner Series" is a new subscription package featuring Soul Asylum & Gin Blossoms on Wednesday, July 9; Corey Smith on Saturday, July 19; and G. Love & Special Sauce on Friday, August 22. It replaces the Country series, which will not be offered this season. The "Tanner Series" will be a reserved seating event. No tables, coolers or carry-ins are allowed, but there will be plenty of room to dance!

Delta Classic Chastain series tickets and subscriptions are available through the ASO Season Ticket Office (1280 Peachtree Street at 15th St) at (404) 733-4800 and classicchastain.com.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, now in its 63rd season, is considered one of America's leading orchestras, known for the excellence of its live performances, presentations, renowned choruses, and its impressive list of Grammy Award-winning recordings. The leading cultural organization in the Southeast, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra serves as the cornerstone for artistic development and music education in the region. Since the inception of the Creative Partnership of Music Director Robert Spano, Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles and President and CEO Allison Vulgamore in September 2001, the Orchestra and audiences have been invigorated through a creative programming mix, recordings, and visual enhancements, such as the "Theater of a Concert," the Orchestra's continuing exploration of different formats, settings, and enhancements for the musical performance experience. Also emerging from the partnership is the Atlanta School of Composers, the Orchestra's commitment to nurturing and championing music through multi-year partnerships defining a new generation of American composers. Since the beginning of his tenure, Mr. Spano and the ASO have performed nearly 100 contemporary works (composed since 1950), including seven ASO-commissioned world premieres, two additional world premieres, and one U.S. premiere. The ASO performs more than 200 concerts each year to a combined audience of more than a half million in a full schedule of performances which also feature educational and community concerts.